The Mask
by StoriUrahara
Summary: What goes through the mind when you see a strangely hypnotic mask staring back at you? Walk through their thoughts as Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael, and the Happy Mask Salesman lay eyes on the mask of Majora. Set to have four chapters, but I might make more.
1. Skull Kid

This just popped in my head when I was searching for a LinkxMidna fanfic (weird, right?), so I decided to type it up and see how I liked it. As you probably deduced by simple reasoning, I decided I liked it and posted it :)

I plan to cover at least four different perspectives; Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael, and the Happy Mask Salesman (probably not in that order) when they interact with Majora's mask. I'm going to post each perspective as a different chapter, and if my internet doesn't cop out (it's been known to do so quite often), it'll be complete just a little while after I post the first chapter. I already typed up everything, so I just need to post the individual chapters :)

So cease the ramblings, Stori! Here's the story, my dear, patient readers! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer; I do not own The Legend of Zelda in any way, shape, or form, nor do I receive any money for publishing this work of fanfiction. The Legend of Zelda and all its characters are copyrighted by Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo.

-X-

I was all alone, shivering in the rain. There was nothing but the cold and the rain. The sky cried with me that day; the day I ran away. The other Skull Children were so cruel. The taunted me, teased me, all for being smaller then the others and without any talent for music.

I thought I would be alone forever, and I hoped I would die, alone in the cold, left to the freezing sheets of rain that pounded the log that sheltered me. But then, two little tufts of glittering light flew into my log, seeking shelter from the sorrowful sky just as I had. We stared at each other for a few moments, trying to predict the others' moves. Just as I was about to speak, a bolt of lightning seared through the clouds, tracing a white path of light across the heavens and lighting the entire sky with blinding iridescence, followed by a loud roar of thunder. The tufts flew towards me in fright, and we spent the remainder of the night huddled together for warmth, waiting for the storm to end.

When we finally awoke, we introduced ourselves. My two new friends were Tatl and Tael, two very outspoken little fairies from beyond Termina, a place named Hyrule or something. They lived in the woods there, in a village called Kokiri, but the storm chased them out. We talked for awhile, content to simply get to know each other. When our thirst for background was quenched, we started to play.

We dashed and ran and flew across the soggy fields, laughing as we played tag. I tried to teach Tael to do a cartwheel, but Tatl said it was impossible, which set off a heated argument between the two fairies. Sighing, I looked to the woods to find something to distract the squabbling brothers with. I saw what looked like a man lying on the forest floor, surrounded by damp, mildewing leaves. He looked like he had been crushed by a giant pack atop his fallen form.

I tore across the field and to the edge of the forest where he laid, still unmoving. As I studied him, I realized he was wearing the pack, and just collapsed from the fatigue of carrying such a heavy burden. I bent over to help him, and that's when I saw it.

It sat among other fallen masks, one of a fox, another of a rock person, but I was drawn to this one like I was to nothing else. It was in the shape of a heart with sharp yellow spikes protruding from the top and each side. It's intricate eye designs looked alluring, almost hypnotic. I picked it up, and, hands shaking, I pressed it to my face. It felt as if it was meant to be worn, as if it was meant to be worn by me.

It made me feel powerful. That beautiful, glorious mask. At first, I only meant to put it on, to feel what it was like to be strong. But when I put it on and covered up my true identity, I felt nothing but power surge through my veins.

Tatl and Tael thought I was wrong in taking the mask from the old man, they thought I should take it back. I showed them my newfound power and told them that we could do anything now that I had the mask. They listened to me because they feared me, but that was alright. At least it was better than back in the forest where no one even cared about me; where I was nothing. With the mask of Majora, I was something. I was power incarnate.

Those bumbling fools would never understand, especially that idiot, Tatl. She always goes about flapping that stupid fairy mouth of hers. Tael was on my side from the start, but that's only because he likes to contradict his sister.

I only wish that I could be respected without this mask. I can't help but feel that every time I put it on, I lose a little bit of myself. Bah, what does it matter? As long as I have this mask, I'll be shown the respect I deserve.

-X-

Yes, yes, I know it's not 'rock person,' it's 'Goron,' but how would a Skull Child from the forest know anything about the rock-eating people from the mountains?

I hope I conveyed the changing of his personality correctly ^w^ if it was unclear (it was a very subtle transition), I humbly apologize, and am deeply sorry for confusing you with this section of AN :)

I hope to see you all again in the following chapters! Love ya ;)

~Daughter of Hat-n-Cloggs


	2. Happy Mask Salesman

This chapter didn't take as long to write as I thought it would, since Ailavyn Siniyash and Dantalion followed (Dantalion favorited and reviewed; thanks SO much!)! Thank you both! It makes me happy to know that people enjoy my writing ^w^

Alright! Let's get this done!

Disclaimer; I don't own Zelda or any characters thereof.

-x-

I trudged through the forest, my wearied feet begging me to stop making them carry me across the uneven ground. Despite my exhaustion, I willed myself forward, hoping to reach Clock Town within the hour. A loud rumbling sound filled my ears, and I spun around, searching frantically for the source. After a few moments, I realized the monstrous sound was just my stomach, telling me it wouldn't be satisfied with the bread crusts and stream water I had consumed hours before, and I gave a hearty laugh.

As the trees thinned around me, the world around me spun and I fell to the forest floor, sending a few damp leaves flying upwards, only to tumble back down. How mundane this simple ritual must be, but watching it through half-lidded eyes made me realize the significance of a single leaf reacting to it's surroundings. Just as I was about to launch into a deep, philosophical study on the trials of the leaf, I realized I didn't care. I was too tired to care about anything but rest, so I let my leaden eyelids fall shut and my mind become subject to my subconsciousness.

-x-

I awoke a few hours later to the sound of giggling and two very high-pitched voices going on about "put that down, Skull Kid!" and "you really shouldn't mess with other people's things." I decided to lay low and pretend I was still asleep (or did they think I was dead?). After all, I was sore from lying face down in a pile of damp, moldy leaves for God-knows how long with blistered feet and calloused shoulders; it was nice to have a little conscious rest. After a few more moments of giggling and scolding, I shifted ever so slightly to check my situation. Yes, standing was going to be an issue, seeing as how my pack seemed to have gained a few hundred pounds while I slept.

But that slight movement gave me a clear view of the supposed 'Skull Kid,' who was wearing one of my prized masks and cackling maniacally. Now, if it was another mask, such as my Keaton mask or my Bunny Hood, I would be relatively alright with my current situation. I mean, if I saw a bunch of cool masks lying around, hey, I'd try them on, too. But this kid was wearing my most recently acquired mask, not to mention the most expensive by far. And he didn't seem to be handling it with the best of care, which set me off even more.

"Hey!" I barked, trying to make my croaking voice sound more intimidating. "Give that back!" The child jumped at my sudden exclamation, clearly startled that the mysterious man with a mask collection, whom he thought was out cold, just realized what was going on. He took one look at me, glaring up at him from beneath a two-ton pack, and took to his heels. I watched him run off, my mouth hung wide open. Had I really just lost my best mask?

I pounded my fists into the soggy leaves like a child who hadn't gotten his way and cried to the heavens. Summoning the rest of my strength, I hurled the pack off of me and started kicking it, emphasizing each time my foot connected with the bundle of canvas and rope with a cry of indignation. How dare he! How dare that little punk run off with my mask without even giving me a sign he understood. Immediately, my anger subsided. Maybe the child didn't understand my dialect, and I had frightened him off with my outburst.

No, the fairies had spoken to him in the same language. He had just decided to ignore me. I couldn't believe this kid's impudence. I sighed in resigned frustration and sat down next to my pack. As I picked the various leaves and grass blades off of the thick fabric, I remembered the situation in which I had received the mask.

-x-

I strolled casually down the alley behind the Bombchu Bowling Alley, smiling to myself as I held a carefully wrapped parcel safely under one arm. I couldn't wait to open my shop for the day and display my new mask; everyone had been asking when I was going to restock, and I finally had five such demanded masks tucked beneath an arm. To make sure I wouldn't be swarmed by my dear customers, I decided to take the back road. As much as I love my wonderful shoppers, I don't think I could survive a swarm of excited children waiting for their very own Keaton mask.

I was close to the back entrance of my shop when a door opened, and a short, wrinkled old lady stepped out, carrying with her a package wrapped in canvas. I looked at her creased face and loosely-fitting clothes with a sense of unease beginning to settle in my gut. I don't know why, but I didn't like this woman. I had never seen her before now, but when I first opened my shop and visited each of my new neighbors to let them know, I didn't even get to speak clearly to this woman. All she let me do was speak to her from outside the door. In all actuality, it's very hard to try to carry out any sort of decent conversation with a five inch thick mahogany door in between the conversationalists.

Ah, my mind drifted again. My, my, it's hard to keep track of things! Hmmm... Let's see... Oh! That's right! The old woman!

She stepped out onto the cold stone pavement and glared up at me (despite my hunched back, I had a good foot or two on her), her sea-foam eyes boring into my very soul.

"Ah, good morning!" I exclaimed in a cheery tone, trying to make small talk. "How are you this lovely sunrise?"

She just glared at me, tapping a finger against the parcel beneath her arm, making a dull 'thunk' every time her finger connected with the package. A few moments passed in complete silence, holding eye contact for the entire time. Eventually, I broke from her hard stare.

"I sincerely apologize," I began, edging away from her ever so slightly, "but I must be going now. After all, my masks won't sell themselves!" I gave a light chuckle and started to slowly walk away.

"Hold it, young man," the elderly lady squawked, waddling towards my retreating form. "You should have this." Thrusting the package into my chest, she shuffled back to her house and slammed the door. I stood unmoving for quite some time, just blinking in bewilderment. Remembering the Keaton masks held tightly in my arms, I rushed to my shop, holding both the Keaton masks and my newly acquired package tightly to my chest.

-x-

"I'm sorry, but that was the last of them until next week," I smiled sadly at the small child whose teary eyes barely cleared the counter. "But I will save one for you the moment I receive a new order if you write your name down for me!" I held out a clipboard and he scrawled an illegible name across the entire page. As he left, I turned to the shelves and checked the wares. Everything was almost fully stocked. The only thing out was the Keaton masks. Who knew such a strange looking fox mask could be so popular with children?

I sighed contently and turned back to the jar of Rupees beneath the counter top, and the few green Rupees that had fallen around it. I smiled as I shifted my attention to the package I had received earlier, still wrapped in all its stained- linen glory. As I thought of opening it, an unexplainable sense of dread settled itself in my gut.

I reached out gingerly, my trembling fingers barely brushing against the fine linden before I subconsciously retracted my shaking hand. Swallowing the lump of fear in my throat, I snatched up the package and tore away the thin fabric, not giving myself time to reminisce. As the wrappings fell away, a beautifully hand crafted mask came in to my sight. It was a deep royal hue, with swirling yellow eyes and crimson designs that traced paths along the edges. Triadic designs slipped across the smooth wooden surface, and became more pronounced beside the honey-colored spikes that protruded from the outer and top edges. Thin white trails wove their way into the intricate design, as if a snail had danced across the painted wood as it was drying. This wondrous mask was surely worth a fortune, and since the Carnival of Time was just around the corner, I thought it would be smart to auction it at my mask stand.

I set the mask carefully down on the counter and began packing my rucksack for the long trek from Hyrule to Termina. As I began to roll up my bedding, a shot one last look at the mask.

I felt myself pulled into the hypnotic gaze at once, unable to resist the quiet, indecipherable chanting that resonated in the back of my head. Unexplainable thoughts swarmed my brain; thoughts of conquest and victory, of lavish tyranny and supreme power. After what seemed like an endless time, I came to my senses.

What was I thinking? I was no more than a mask salesman with absolutely no knowledge, or the desire to acquire any such skills, of fighting or anything else so utterly brutal. Mentally berating myself, I re-wrapped the mask, careful to only look at it from the edges of my sight. Unceremoniously stuffing it into my pack, I hoisted said object onto my back and closed up shop, ready to make the journey through the Lost Woods.

-x-

Ne~ finally done with this chapter! It took WAAY too long and was pretty rushed towards the end, and that's a double failure on my part X( SORRY EVERYONE!

To make up for it, here's a Darth Vader;

C8]

And now to explanations! Let's get the "wooden surface" of the mask cleared up first, shall we? As you probably know, Zelda takes place in medieval times (if I were to time gauge it, I'd say it would be around the twelfth century), so there wasn't really a large array of materials that could be used for masks. Metals such as steel and iron are pretty heavy, and since Majora's mask was supposed to be from an ancient tribe's ritual, I highly doubt that it would be made of any sort of precious metal.

And now the "royal hue" part. Purple was the color of royalty from around the third and fourth centuries to about the mid-eleventh century when leopard pelts (mainly snow) became a sign of wealth/royalty.

My theory for the placement of at least Hyrule and Termina is that they are connected by the Lost Woods, seeing as how both games (Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask) began; in the woods. I don't know, maybe it's just me :/

So the next two chapters will be relatively short, since we will be dealing with our favorite fairy siblings, Tatl and Tael. Just as a bit of added trivia, did you guys know that their names are derivatives from the common playground chant for those who tell on bad kids, "tattle-tale?" Most of you probably already knew that, but when I discovered that, it was a HUGE epiphany moment! XD

Ah, random things aside, thanks to everyone who's reading this :) all the support I receive makes my day ^w^ I really do apologize if this chapter feels rushed; I did my best!


	3. Link

I MEANT to upload Tatl or Tael, but Link seemed like SOO much more fun :3

Besides, I was hit with a wave of creativity, and it's a lot easier to work with something you have an idea for instead of straining to make your ideas make sense. Ah, still, I lied. Sorry about that!

Again, my theory of Hyrule and Termina being connected by the Lost Woods comes into play as we follow our favorite green-clad hero as he struggles to find shelter or whatever I'm doing to him (yes, even I don't know yet... Is that bad?)!

And sorry about the lapse of time between the last update and this one; I plugged in my old 64 and dusted off Ocarina of Time. As you can imagine, The Mask sat in my memo pad, lonesome and neglected. The delay was much longer than I had planned.

Mottomo fukai shazai! *bow*

(That means deepest apologies in Japanese)

And, to add to my copious amount of excuses, my mind decided to forget the beginning of Majora's Mask, so I stuck it in to my 64, but (to my horror) it turns out you need the memory expansion pack to play Majora's Mask (despite the fact that all the memory is held in each individual cartridge). I hurled the 64 at the wall (N64 survived. Wall did not :/), but then I remembered that the game data on the 64 holds the actual game, not any saved games. You need the expansion because Majora's Mask was released just after they stopped mass-producing N64's, and the programmers back then (bless their kind souls) didn't want children to have to pay for a whole new system because of a single release date, so with the expansion, they put the game data on the removable memory cartridge (along with a few other late-releases) to save some money for the gamers.

Oh, and I tweaked a bit of the story of Ocarina of Time. Instead of Saria giving Link an ocarina when he left the forest, she gave it to him after the play (if you read the Ocarina of Time manga, there's a play that Mido, Saria, and Link all play in, and I think that Saria should've given Link the ocarina after the forest play 'cause it sounds better :P). And so he has it already, so I don't have to write about the Hero of Hyrule taking time out of his busy "Saving the World" schedule to play songs with woodland people or creatures. Link prioritizes, my friends! He is a smart ten year-old.

And I tweaked some of the in-game dialogue, too. Not enough for people who played the game to be all like "ah HELL no!", but just enough for me to change up a relationship.

So now I shall put and end to my babbling! *holds gun to temple* Hmmmmm... Maybe I don't have to take such drastic measures... After all, I do like living :D

Enjoy, my friends!

Disclaimer; I don't own Zelda. You blood-sucking copyright infringement lawyers want more, go to the first chapter where the disclaimer is all nicely written and proper; I'm NOT typing that again. You no like it? Bite me, bitch :P

-x-

I shuddered involuntarily, feeling the temperature of the surrounding trees drop abruptly. The crisp forest air nipped at my bare arms and legs, and I immediately wished I had worn more than just my tunic and boots. All the warmth radiated from my shivering frame was sucked up by the harsh wind that tore through the trees like a child playing tag. It was so eerily quiet; the only sounds being the resonating footfalls of Epona, who, despite the cold, trudged on at my command. Heaving a tired sigh, I reminisced about the past.

-x-

After Princess Zelda sent me back in time, I returned to the forest and the Kokiri children. Everything was just as it had been before Ganondorf's evil plans had erupted in a volcano of chaos; even the Great Deku Tree had been returned to life. Everything was how it should be, but all I felt was an emptiness deep in my chest, a void that could never be refilled. The mundane continuation of everyday life made me feel as if I had accomplished nothing, like all my efforts had been for naught. I spent a few days trying to get my mind off of the nagging restlessness that gnawed at my mind. I tried to indulge myself in chores, even those that weren't even mine. But seeing everyone carry on with their lives with no knowledge of what had transpired, no idea that their lives had been in complete turmoil for seven whole years, made me sick with disgust. So I left.

I left all of Hyrule to figure out it's own problems, to fend for themselves. If the people of Hyrule weren't going to take the time to acknowledge that I had saved them, then I wasn't going to be around to save their ungrateful lives again.

Ah, I was being too bitter. Shaking my head at myself, I absently ran a hand through Epona's mane. It wasn't their fault that the Hylians didn't know they were ever in any danger. The Princess had reset time with the Ocarina, and no one was more the wiser. It was as if seven whole years were wiped from the canvas of time.

"Huh, I guess that's true," I muttered to myself. Those years technically had never existed. I shook my head and nudged Epona onward. It would do no good to sit in the past.

Suddenly, Epona reared and whinnied as if something had struck her, flinging me off her back. I landed hard, striking my head on a rock as the air was forced out of my lungs. My vision swam, and I struggled to keep consciousness. Epona nuzzled my head, but it was to no avail as I was plunged into darkness.

-x-

I felt my pocket rustle and my instincts told me to get up, but my mind told me to not worry; it's just Epona looking for an apple. The rustling continued, and I decided to pull myself back to Termina and figure out what was going on.

My eyes blinked open to reveal a Skull Child with his back turned, and two fairies fluttered around his floppy hat. I was just about to call out when I heard a sharp note being played, and I immediately recognized the instrument. That impudent child was playing my precious ocarina! How dare he!

I shifted slightly to get into a better position to pounce without alerting any of the three to my presence, but to my dismay, one of the fairies turned and let out a sound that came off as some loose translation of a squeal.

"Skull Kid!" Her high-pitched voice squeaked. When said child turned, I recoiled in shock.

Covering his face was a hideous mask, the yellow eye paint reflecting the scattered drops of sunlight evilly with the morning's dew. Bronze spikes seemingly shot out from the sides and top like some maniacal demon sent from the depths of Twilight.

-x-

A small, disk-like tree stump sat near a taller tree trunk, and a Skull Child was flapping his feet around in a merry attempt at a dance, while he played along on a wooden flute the resounding sounds of the forest. I cocked my head and smiled at the scene, grinning at this young, cursed boy who didn't care about his misfortunes. Saria's ocarina in my hand, I hopped up on the smaller stump and played a few progressions with him.

The time passed peacefully in the background as we played and danced in our own shared world. We met for a few days after that, and we talked as if we had been friends since Hyrule was founded.

After the whole fiasco with the Deku Tree and Dodongo's Cavern, I thought I might take a break and visit the Happy Mask shop to take a look at their wares. Skull Kid was always trying to look scarier, so when I saw the demon Skull Mask, I instantly bought it and ran to the Lost Woods to show my friend.

"Hee hee!" He giggled, pointing at me with his flute. "Is that Link beneath that mask?" We laughed and caught up, me telling him of my adventures and he talking of his conversations with Saria, and when dusk drew near, I gave the mask to him.

-x-

"Is that... you? Link?" Skull Kid croaked, dropping the mask back against his wooden face. "I... Can't believe it!" Almost suddenly, his entire demeanor changed. The evil mask gleamed with amaranthine malevolence, and Skull Kid leapt on Epona's back and struck her rump. Rearing, she whinnied and took off. I scrambled to my feet and tore after my fleeing steed and her hijacker. As I neared, I lunged and latched on to Epona's hind leg, desperately trying to stop her. My bare legs dragged behind my jolting body, scraping against the course dirt and grass. My already debilitated hold on Epona's violently churning leg weakened, and I was thrown off, again falling into the darkness of unconsciousness.

-x-

Ah! At last, I'm done! Well, at least for this chapter; we've still got Tatl and Tael to go! At least I typed up some ideas about those two... But what do you guys think? Should I put them in the same chapter, or update them individually?

And here comes the tedious background information! Dun dun duuuuuun~

Oh my, I can hear your groans from here :o

Skull Children are mischievous beings who mainly reside in the Lost Woods. They are the manifestation of lost children that wander too far into the woods, and are usually quite friendly to other children, even those who have not been cursed. Our poor friend Skull Kid is only bad because the evil spirit of Majora resides in the mask that Skull Kid put on to give some laughs. In fact, near the very end of the game, it's revealed that this particular Skull Child was the very same one that Link befriended in Ocarina of Time; the one that gave you a heart piece if you played Saria's Song for him and that bought the Skull Mask because it looked scary.

My theory is that one of the other skull kids took the mask from him and kicked him out of the Lost Woods, and then proceeded to make duplicates for all the other children. If you return to the Lost Woods as an adult, all of the children are hostile and wear skull masks, and I think that particular chunk of information backs up my theory pretty well :)

Also (Theories, theories EVERYWHERE O.o), Link is looking for an old friend in the beginning of Majora's Mask. This could be Saria, one of the Six Sages in Ocarina of Time, or Skull Kid. I still haven't decided which one I find more plausible. Even though Saria became a sage, Princess Zelda turned back time with the Ocarina, so I think that time would be rewound to before Saria was aware she was a sage. It IS more believable to think that he's searching for Skull Kid though, seeing as how Link obviously planned to be searching for awhile by bringing Epona and seems pretty tired (leading me to believe that he's been riding for a long time) when Tatl and Tael freak the crap out of her. He already knew the way to the secret Forest Grove, and he never needed Epona to get there. And he's already in Termina, so he must have been disappointed with what he found (or didn't, whatever suits you) in the Lost Woods back in Hyrule.

Oh, and just a little extra; Tatl and Tael's names come from tattle-tale (as I mentioned earlier), but I just found out on Zelda-pedia that they got the idea because of Navi's (and every other fairies') incredibly annoying (although sometimes helpful) quirk of giving out information about enemies and bosses!

Geez, I REALLY need to stop updating at ungodly hours of the night (morning?). I just go on and on and when I wake up and review my writing, I realize that I just keep talking. I'm like the thing that wouldn't shut up!

Even now! RAAA~! Alright, see you all next chapter! Hope you enjoyed! :)h


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